Sensory modulation: An important piece of the disability puzzle for adolescents with persistent pain.

OBJECTIVES: Sensory modulation patterns contribute to altered pain perception and disengagement in activities; atypical sensory modulation patterns have been associated with higher pain sensitivity, catastrophizing, and reduced function. Objectives of this study were to ascertain whether: adolescents with persistent pain had atypical sensory modulation patterns, atypical sensory modulation was associated with reduced functioning and higher pain, and pain catastrophizing mediated the relationship between sensory modulation and functional disability. METHODS: Adolescents (N=70, Females=63, Males=7) attending tertiary level interdisciplinary team assessment for persistent pain completed sensory modulation (Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile), pain catastrophizing (Bath Adolescent Pain Questionnaire), pain intensity, functional disability (Functional Disability Index), and quality of life (Pediatric Quality of Life (QOL) Scales) questionnaires. RESULTS: Adolescents with persistent pain had atypical patterns of sensory modulation compared to normative data. Sensory modulation patterns were not associated with pain intensity; however, higher sensitivity was associated with greater disability (r=0.36, P<0.01), and lower registration of sensation was associated with poorer emotional (r=0.31, P<0.01), social (r=0.35, P<0.01), and school-related (r=0.49, P